Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm an atheist that doesn't celebrate Christmas (or Thanksgiving for that matter). My immediate family (all religious) always buy me gifts anyway, so I return the favor to them and them only. Of course, it's only out of feelings of being obligated to since they did.
I actually dislike everything about the winter. Snow, low temperatures, driving is less safe, the roads are packed with rabid holiday shoppers, etc.
Nothing makes me happier in the winter/holiday season than to be at home with the heat on, watching a movie or reading a book.
Even if you aren't close with your family, you can use the holidays as an opportunity to be grateful for the good things in your life, and help where you can and share what you have with people who are less fortunate. Or you can sit at home by yourself in the dark. Whatever floats your boat.
Who says the OP doesn't do that year round? Why does there have to be a designated 2 month period to do so? IMO, that's part of why people have holiday issues, it lasts so long, most people get burned out at some point if they don't pace themselves.
One of the popular suggestions is to volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen for Thanksgiving/Christmas. I remember once getting a request at work to find one which was looking for volunteers. The person was a high level person where I worked at the time and wanted to volunteer with the family for this. But a lot of places already had volunteers and suggested volunteering another time. I forget what the ultimate outcome was because it was so long ago, but I've read articles since saying while these organizations appreciate the help at Thanksgiving and Christmas, they really need it year round.
And there's quite a bit of middle ground between celebrating the spirit of the holiday season and sitting at home alone in the dark. One can carry on as usual for example. I notice in this and the gifts thread, there's a tendency for the Christmas and other holiday cheerleaders to take offense if someone merely writes in a thread that they're thinking of not opting into the holidays. It's perfectly ok to scale back or sit them out if one's feeling holiday fatigue. Just as it's perfectly ok to get gung ho about it. I think people have to do what's right for them.
I'm an atheist that doesn't celebrate Christmas (or Thanksgiving for that matter). My immediate family (all religious) always buy me gifts anyway, so I return the favor to them and them only. Of course, it's only out of feelings of being obligated to since they did.
I actually dislike everything about the winter. Snow, low temperatures, driving is less safe, the roads are packed with rabid holiday shoppers, etc.
Nothing makes me happier in the winter/holiday season than to be at home with the heat on, watching a movie or reading a book.
A Summer Christmas is fun
Christmas for me is, summer holidays, spending time with the family, beach & bbq's.
I wonder if the weather makes a difference in how people feel? Also, when does the season "start" where you are?
I think the weather helps.
Starting to see Christmas decorations etc in department stores already,
would say by mid-november the shops are in full swing. (this is in Australia).
I'm not an atheist, but don't buy into the whole holiday spirit thing. It's an excuse to send people a gift that I want to and would send them anyway. This year I'll be doing homemade from a new hobby. We haven't even put up lights for a couple years. Not feelin it, and don't feel obliged. Free at last.
All holidays are pretty much stimulus pkg's for retail.
I plan to celebrate the hell out of it this year by getting out of town.
Now that we sibilings are older we stopped buying presents for each other years ago, so it takes tons of pressure off the wallet and the mall madness. I still get everyone a special ornament for their tree and keep that as a tradition, but I do it online now.
I don't bother with holidays, they don't fit my belief (or non-belief) system/values.
Nor, with my existing family structure, is there any reason for me to pretend otherwise.
Each new day is what matters most (to me), why wait for a "special occasion" to tell someone you care, etc etc...but I've said all this in another similar thread...
However, since I do like the look of colored lights, I use Xmas lights year-round, on daily (nightly) basis, for in-home lighting (hung on wall, strung around room). Cheers up my apartment, without being too bright. Loathe Xmas/holiday music, so I avoid that as best I can.
Don't do gift exchange, but throughout the year, if I'm able to be helpful to someone either practically or mentally (emotionally/intellectually), that's enough-and vice versa (in terms of what I'd like to "receive" from others). Example: if I have an article of clothing that no longer fits me but might fit a friend, I ask if that person would like the item-otherwise I'll donate it to thrift shop. It's *not* that I opt out of the ebb & flow of doing each other favors (with friends/family), it just doesn't take on this formal/obligated quality-nor does the timing of when one of us offers support to the other, it's without regard to calendar dates ("holidays").
None of this is a slight against anyone else who feels/behaves/interprets differently, these are my personal choices.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
